Join us on Wednesday nights for The Gathering, an hour of doctrine and doxology. Biblical doctrine should never be separated from responsive doxology, and doxology should never be void of Biblical Doctrine. True worship is a response to divine revelation, a heartfelt expression of awe and gratitude rooted in a deep understanding of God's nature and His redemptive work. Doxology devoid of biblical doctrine becomes empty sentiment, while doctrine divorced from doxology remains sterile and lifeless.

Join us each Wednesday evening to explore the essential doctrines of our faith and to respond in Christian praise and worship.

Childcare for Birth-PreK is available for those attending The Gathering.

We also have Kids Club for K-6th grade. Space may be limited. To learn more and see availability, click below.

In February of 2021 the elders prayerfully considered a project that would involve the construction of a pavilion and renovating the playground area.  We knew it would be a project that God would need to confirm through His people. We then launched a pledge campaign to confirm if this was indeed God’s will, and the Body committed to give generously toward the project.  In faith we moved forward to break ground on pavilion portion of the project.

Within the last few weeks, the pavilion, and the surrounding footprint, has taken on the look of near completion! There remains some finishing touches for electrical work, but we will finish the pavilion very close to our planned budget of $350,000.  We praise God for Jason Reiner’s servant heart and his skillful oversight of this lengthy project, and we are very thankful for all the helping hands that contributed to the project’s completion.  The Lord has indeed confirmed this project and provided for the work through His people!!  

To date, through your cheerful and generous gifts, you have given $315,000 toward this project!  We only need $35,000 more to complete the pavilion phase with a fully funded status.  Will you join me in prayerful consideration of how God may be calling each of us to meet this need?

Speaking for the entire elder board, we are humbled by your generosity and overwhelmed by the goodness of God through His people.   We look forward to the October 16th pavilion dedication, trusting the Lord’s continued provision for the path ahead!  

With grateful hearts,

Doug Spickler
on behalf of the Elders

We are finally entering our last phase of the project! In the last few weeks, we have seen the concrete pad and supports poured, pavilion framing erected, roofing completed, and so much more! We are looking forward to finalizing the electrical, grading, and landscaping. Thank you, Lord, for ushering us into this final phase and for giving us patience while we wait for supplies. We give You praise and glory!

Grace family,

When we started this adventure, I promised you dust, mud, detours, disruption, even delays.  By God's good timing, the delay in beginning our project meant we avoided much of the dust and mud, so we accept ongoing delays as from His hand as well!

We have completed many things in this project, including the grading and drainage, entrance sidewalks and back steps, and the first phase of landscaping between the building and the sidewalk.  We hope to have the new plantings in the ground no later than mid-March.

One delay involved the building permit from the City of Marietta.  We were unaware that we, as owner, could not submit a permit request but needed to retain a licensed commercial general contractor.  Through a way we did not expect, God provided a willing contractor who is a believer and "just happens" to live in the same neighborhood as two of our members.  He is working with the City, and we hope to be able to make our permit application in the near future.  Once that is secured, we are ready to construct the foundations and erect the pavilion!  While there is still much to do, we know many ministries are already getting excited to make use of it!

Your continued prayers for wisdom, God's blessing on our efforts and the furtherance of His Kingdom is very much appreciated. Please look at the sample picture below of what our pavilion will look like.
 
In His Service,
Jason Reiner

We are very grateful, and pleased, to report that we now have movement on our Grace Pavilion project!  We received our final grading permit this week and equipment has been moved onto the site!  You will now begin to see things begin to change with the removal of trees, bushes and sidewalks on the north side of our building. Underground drainage will be installed and fill dirt will be brought up to bring the ground up to the elevation needed for the concrete slab.  

It is safe to say, this is not the schedule that we anticipated when we started this project.  It is more safe to say that God is actively working in the details of everything that happens in His Church and in our part of the Body at 770 Kennesaw Avenue.  Had we started earlier, we would likely have been working in a sea of mud given the amount of rain we have had over the past weeks.  He is a good God and we rightly submit our schedule to His wise providence.  

There will not be an outdoor worship environment this Sunday as we create a new outdoor environment elsewhere. It remains our intention to keep the handicap access open on Sundays for as long as possible.  The back stairs from the parking lot and the kitchen entrance will be closed for some time, so please plan to use other access points.

We are in the process of completing the design of the pavilion structure and the necessary building permits. As with the first phase, we can expect this to proceed more slowly than in more normal times but good progress is being made.

Please continue to pray for wisdom and guidance for those on the building team.  Please also continue to pray that we may be a witness of God's love and faithfulness to those who come on the property as part of this project.  Thank you for your continued support.

Jason Reiner
404.403.3707

We have now officially entered the fall season, and our desire was to have the pavilion project well underway, if not approaching completion.  But the timing of our plan was obviously not aligned with God’s plan for our progress.

I write this to encourage us all to not be discouraged with the lack of visible progress that has been made.  Behind the scenes, Jason and the team have made many connections and inquires, but materials are in short supply, and construction crews are stretched beyond capacity.  This has made it difficult to secure and schedule a grading company to start the site work. All this to say, as we eagerly await the work to begin, we are trusting the Lord’s timing even in the midst of some frustration.

We want to add that we continue to rejoice in your generous hearts, as you have continued to faithfully give and honor pledges that were made in late spring.  Because of your generous giving, we are well prepared for the site work to begin.

Let us take this opportunity, as we patiently wait, to be in prayer.  Please pray for:

• Jason and his team to be encouraged, and trust the Lord’s timing to provide the right contractor at the right time.
• The contractor(s) that God has ordained to do this work, that God would lead us to them, and they would respond to the inquiry.
• Our collective body, that we would not be discouraged or disheartened with the construction work that has not been done or the funds that have not yet been raised, but we rejoice and give thanks for the blessings God has provided.  His people have given nearly $175,000 toward this project and He has called Jason and a team of dedicated workers to the task.

We have much to be thankful for and we can trust that the Lord’s timing is perfect.  May we continue to submit to Him, as we “trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding: In all our ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight our path” -Proverbs 3:5-6

-Doug Spickler, on behalf of the Elders

No dust (or mud) yet, but we are actively progressing with the plans for our new Grace Pavilion.  We continue to work with the City of Marietta to secure our Land Disturbance Permit (LDP).  We have received questions from the City, but so far no concerns about our project.

We continue to interview contractors for the various phases of construction.  And we continue to work on and refine the many details of design.  In short, we are in the "duck" phase; paddling like crazy under the surface.

Thank you for your continued support and prayer.

-Jason Reiner

PS. Reminder from Doug Spickler: Now is the time to turn your June/July pledges into hard dollar donations. We continue to be humbled by the generosity of the body, and are thankful for your financial and prayerful support. Please send your donation to the church office or make your donation online.

July 1, 2021
(Please keep reading to hear from Jason Reiner, our Project Manager)
 
The kickoff date for our Pavilion project has arrived, and we are excited to see how God will use our property and our people to reveal His glory, and increase our trust and dependence on Him.

As a brief recap, the Elders had the opportunity to consider a number of capital projects.  Of the possible projects, we elected to build a multi-use pavilion, and God has shown his blessing by stirring the hearts of His people to provide the necessary funds to begin this project.  Preparations for construction continue, and we are on track to have a contractor on site by mid to late July.  Final design and securing the necessary permits from the City of Marietta are ongoing and expected to be completed very soon.

Once construction begins in earnest you will see rapid changes in the landscape on the north side of our building.  We want you to be aware of these changes and know that we will communicate regularly as progress is made or when additional disruptions occur.

As we begin this project, the pavilion team had a heart felt calling to try and maintain as much of the existing landscape as possible, while balancing the long-term goal of improving the drainage on the north side of the building and expanding the usable footprint to include the new pavilion.  After all options were considered, we will unfortunately need to remove all bushes, trees, and sidewalks on the north side of the building.  This includes our beautiful and much loved (and climbed in) flowering cherry tree and memorial flowering dogwood. The driving factors for this decision are:

• We are nearing the end of the useful life of the trees (expected life for each is an additional 5 to 7 years)
• Drainage issues next to the building and root damage to foundation walls need to be remediated
• Drainage for the broader footprint will be run directly under the existing sidewalk and encroach on the existing root plate for both trees
• Grading of the area to meet ADA accessibility guidelines will require 5 to 20 inches of dirt to be added to this area
• The likelihood the trees would survive this invasive project is less than 10%

Our plans include collaborating with the aesthetics team to replant foundation shrubs and determine an appropriate location and species for a new memorial tree.

Since the north side of the building will be a construction zone for several months, we should anticipate access to the kitchen and foyer from that north side of the property to be impacted for some time.  This will most impact those who rely on our handicap access.  We will mitigate that inconvenience as best we can by keeping the north foyer door accessible as much as possible and by providing streaming downstairs when access must be closed.  We believe communication is critical to success of this project, and we will give as much notice as possible so we all can stay connected and aware of changes.

Jason Reiner (our project manager) provides additional detail in a following note, but is it important for all of us to keep in the mind our mission and the goal of this temporary disruption. We desire to bring glory to God and the spread the good news of Jesus to all people.

Sincerely,

~The Elders of Grace Community Church

It is a distinct honor to be asked to serve as project manager on the Pavilion construction project.  My family and I have attended Grace for 23 years and are thankful for the teaching and support we have received here.  I am thankful to be able to serve the body in this way.  It is important to note that I do not serve alone on this project.  There are a number of heroes, sung and unsung, who have gotten us to this point and will continue to provide critical support, advice and direction as we move forward.  God is gracious to have provided our body with such breadth of experience and knowledge.

While the goal of the project is to continue to improve our utilization of the wonderful property God has provided by constructing a multi-purpose pavilion, it is necessary to say that it won’t be completed in a day or without mess.  Please know that there will be dust, mud, detours and disruptions as we clear and prepare the property for construction of the pavilion.  This project will be the most disruptive we have initiated since the building was first constructed, and it will be done while the building continues to be used for worship and ministry.  Following is an inexhaustive list of some of the changes you will see once construction begins.

• Silt fence will be installed around the perimeter of the work area (it is important to help our children understand the importance of staying outside the fenced area)
• Our wonderful outside worship area will become a construction zone (Plans are being made to temporarily relocate this to another area, so stay tuned)
• Our handicap parking area will serve as the site construction entrance
• All shrubbery and trees on the north side of the building will be removed
• All sidewalks, including the front entrance walk and the back steps, will be removed
• A storm drain will be installed to carry water from our field and lawn areas into the back ditch
• Truckloads of fill dirt will be brought onto the site and placed to level the ground and prepare for the concrete slab and foundations
• New sidewalks and back steps will be installed
• A pavilion will arise!
• New landscaping will be installed

 At the end of the dust and mud (targeted completion is Thanksgiving), we will have a wonderful pavilion, new and better sidewalks, improved handicap access and a much more useful lawn area between the building and the playground/soccer field.  This facility and space will improve our ability to host outside events like fresh air worship, Kids Camp, Sunday School classes, Care Group activities, weddings, church and family picnics.

The church staff will provide regular updates on progress as well as disruptions and alternate access points.  I know you may have questions now and as the project progresses.  Please feel free to reach out to me any time. Please pray for me and for all those involved in this project.  We want to honor our great God by being good and wise stewards of His gifts to us and by doing all that we do to His glory alone.  Please pray that workers who come on our property will see that we treat them with love and respect and deal honestly with them, and give glory to God.

Please pray that God will bless this work lest we build in vain.

~Jason Reiner

April 30, 2021

After much prayer and discussion, and significant input from expert developers, the elders have decided to move forward with two enhancements to our property at 770 Kennesaw Avenue. Phase 1 will consist of the construction of a covered pavilion situated between the existing church building and the children’s playground area. Phase 2 will be a complete renovation and upgrade to our playground area.

The pavilion will give us the ability to increase outdoor usage, specifically during the heat of the summer months by providing shade for church events and kids ministry activities (i.e. kids camp). This will also provide options for future outdoor services, youth ministry, and small group gatherings. This past year, as we added outdoor components on our beautiful property, we saw an increase in outreach to the local community. A covered pavilion will vastly improve the outdoor experience and give us much more year-round flexibility, as well as greater visual appeal.

Furthermore, we believe that now is the time to give our playground an upgrade. The playground is a natural gathering place for families and for building relationships. It is used weekly in our church gatherings, and has always had community appeal, even though the equipment has exceeded its shelf-life. With the addition of the soccer field/ministry, and a new pavilion, there will be an increased use of the playground, both by the community and the church. Families, especially those with young children, will immediately see the value of a new pavilion, especially in conjunction with a new playground, as the purposes of both integrate with one another. The committee is currently gathering input from various ministry leaders. Once all playground input is received, a layout design drawing of the renovated playground area will be provided (estimated design by May 15).

For us to be able to move forward, we need to raise the necessary funds to make these projects a reality. We are asking you to give serious and prayerful consideration to making a financial contribution to the Pavilion and Playground Project. Phase 1 is estimated to cost approximately $348,500, while Phase 2 is estimated at $200,000. We are hoping to begin construction on Phase 1 in July, with the plan of moving to Phase 2 once Phase 1 is completed, assuming that sufficient funds are available. We are confident that this is reasonable and possible, but it will require each of us to give toward this opportunity over and above our regular giving.

Our vision is to spread the good news of Jesus to all people, and we believe that our investment in these additions and improvements will enhance our ability to minister to more people more effectively. The land of 770 Kennesaw Avenue was originally a dairy farm many years ago. Today it serves to provide spiritual nourishment to hundreds of people. The blessing of the building we enjoy each week was made possible by the investments of those who came before us.  The existing playground was built by the previous generation. The soccer field was funded by a member who has already gone to glory. They sowed their seeds in their time, and their reward is in heaven. Now it's our turn to carry on in the tradition of their generosity.

This initiative will require each of us playing our part. While the amount of our contributions will vary, the degree of our sacrifice and the motivation of our hearts must be for the glory of God and the furtherance of His kingdom. As the Lord wills and confirms, let us work together to be good stewards of the resources and property he has entrusted to us. And let us continue to be faithful to the mission to which He has called us.

Serving with joy,

The Elders of Grace Community Church

Pray that God would prepare our hearts and the hearts of the community for opportunities for how He wants to glorify His Name through the Pavilion and the Playground at GCC.

To build the Pavilion and renovate the Playground,  we need financial support. We are stepping out in faith to make this dream a reality and ask that you consider giving generously. After praying and deciding what amount you would like to give, the next step is to click the "Make Your Pledge Here" button below to make your confidential pledge (or commitment)  to the Pavilion & Playground Project. Or you can fill out a hard copy Pledge Card and drop it by the church office. The deadline to communicate your commitment pledge is June 6th. 

Let us look for opportunities to connect and build relationships. If you are part of a Life Group, make plans to meet at the pavilion. If the Men of Grace want to host a cookout, let's do it under the pavilion. If you want to plan play dates, meet at the new playground! Be present, get involved in each other's lives, build relationships and continue to spread the good news of Jesus to everyone!

Q: Why are we building a pavilion? Don't we already have two picnic shelters?
A: The two current picnic shelters serve the purpose of small gatherings of fellowship. The new pavilion, however, will be able to host 180 people for gatherings such as worship services, weddings, Bible Studies, Men's retreats, Women's picnics, etc. Additionally, it will provide a covered space for large children and youth activities, including Wednesday night ministry games, Kids Camp dining, and outdoor outreach events.

Q: Why do we need to renovate the playground? Isn't it in working condition?
A: The existing playground equipment and play areas have worn through time.  Specific pieces on the existing equipment need to be replaced or reconditioned.  Also, the layout of the existing play equipment needs to be organized to bring it up to current safety standards as well as ADA compliance.  The new play surface within a newly fenced in area will provide safety, keep maintenance for the area to a minimum, and give the area a new aesthetic appeal.

Q: Will this capital campaign have an adverse effect on our general budget and ongoing ministries?
A: Our current giving to the General Budget is consistent, solid and strong. During this pandemic period, we have made multiple efforts to adjust any expenses that were impacted by the reduced activity and use of resources. The Elders are asking that the funds given to support this campaign be funds that are above and beyond the normal tithes and offerings that you are currently giving.  You are being asked to prayerfully consider how much to support this campaign and to step out in faith to make it a reality.  Since these funds should be above and beyond our normal giving there should not be an adverse impact our general budget.

Q: What is the difference between a pledge and a donation?
A: The difference between a pledge and a donation is that a pledge is your communication of your promise or intention to give, while a donation is the act of actually giving a contribution. We are asking everyone to take some time from now until June 6 to pray and consider the amount they plan to give . The deadline to fill out and complete your Pledge is June 6, at which time the elders will determine if we have the funds committed and pledged to move forward with all or a portion of the project. In other words, from now until June 6 is a time of prayer, discernment, and decision, during which time you may communicate your Pledge at anytime up until June 6. Actual giving toward the project, however, will not begin until after June 6. Therefore, anytime from now until June 6 when you are ready to communicate your confidential pledge, please click on the link below or turn in your Pledge Card at the church building.  Our progress together will be updated each Sunday morning.

Q: How much should I give?
A: The answer to this question is different for each of us, and ultimately it is between you and the Lord. The accomplishment of this project will only be by God's grace and His provision. Proverbs 16:9 states that "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps."  We are depending on Him for the resources and trusting in Him to establish our steps.

In terms of how the Lord might accomplish this endeavor through us, one possible scenario is listed below. We are asking that you consider what part of the whole the Lord is moving in your heart to give (Exodus 25:2).

Big Idea: God’s champions train other athletes!
Bible Memory Verse: Philippians 3:13-14 "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Coach’s Corner: Tumbling is a great way to exercise. Many young people learn how to do tumbling at an early age. That might include cartwheels, summersaults, and other jumps and spins. The 1932 Olympics were the only games in which gymnastics tumbling was a stand-alone event. Today it is part of the floor apparatus gymnastic routines. The 1932 event included a 2-foot-wide and 60-foot-long mat on which all the flips and twists were performed. The only Olympic champion in this event was Rowland “Flip” Wolfe of the United States. His special move was a backflip with a double twist. This helped 17-year-old Rowland become the youngest medal winner up to that time.

Did you know the Olympics were mentioned in the Bible? The apostle Paul once said that we should run in such a way as to win the prize. But he wasn’t talking about a gold medal. The prize we should all want to win is a home in heaven, where we will be with Jesus forever. The Bible says we should “set an example for believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.” This is a very interesting passage from the Bible. It’s interesting because it speaks about the stories we have studied. You recall the servant girl who set an example in speech. Caleb walked with God and was a real champion his entire life. Joseph showed us how to be a champion by showing great love and forgiveness for his brothers, even after they had sold him to strangers in a foreign country. We saw the faith of Andrew as he followed Jesus from his life of a fisherman to become a follower of Jesus. Today we will look at a young man who became a champion teacher.

The evangelist Paul is credited with taking three major missionary journeys and then a fourth journey to Rome. In Acts chapter 13, Paul embarked on his first missionary journey, accompanied by Barnabas and John Mark. However, before long, John Mark deserted the party. This trip took the missionaries throughout Asia Minor. The first journey came to an end in Acts chapter 14. Our story begins in Acts 15:36, where Paul was about to embark on his second journey. Lystra was about 18 miles southwest of Iconium, a fairly recently inhabited town in a pleasant valley. Some authorities believe there were only two or three Jewish families living there and, therefore, there was likely no synagogue in the area. A mother named Eunice, a grandmother named Lois, and young Timothy lived there. Timothy’s father was a Greek man, but he is not mentioned by name; perhaps he was a heathen. What we do know, however, is that Eunice and Lois were God-fearing people who worked hard at training young Timothy in the ways of the Lord. When Paul was introduced to Timothy, he must have been very impressed. Although likely just a teen, Timothy exhibited characteristics that Paul recognized as being very helpful in his missionary journeys. So, Paul asked Timothy if he would be willing to accompany him. This was not an easy decision to make. For Lois and Eunice, they would be sending off the young man they loved. For Timothy, it meant leaving behind his friends and family and traveling to unknown destinations that could be filled with danger. Yet Timothy decided that his place was to use his talents to serve the Lord. He packed his bags and left with Paul. Eventually we read that Timothy became a great missionary himself. He was given the opportunity time and again to preach the good news of salvation to those who were living in darkness.

Application: We may never be asked to leave our family and friends to travel to far-off countries as God’s missionaries. But that doesn’t mean we should not tell others about His love for us. Timothy serves as a wonderful example of how a young person can use his or her talents to tell others about the Savior. We can do this in so many ways, such as just by inviting someone to church, by helping teach Sunday school, by assisting with neighborhood canvasses, or by casual conversation with our friends and relatives. We should all strive to be like Timothy. This is an ideal end to the stories from camp. We can now take what we have learned and share it with everyone we meet.

Missions Moment: Over the week we have been bringing in change to send a missionary from South America to the Middle East. We raised $1,414 towards that goal this week, and $1,826 over the course of Kid’s camp! WOW! The kids should all be proud of themselves for giving sacrificially over the course of camp!

Game Fun! We had fun on waterslides today.

It's a Wrap: What a great week! Thank you for sharing your kids with us this week, and feel free to join us on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. during the summer, or Wednesday evenings at Grace. Click here for more details!

* Check back later for pictures from the day.

Big Idea: God’s champions listen to the Coach!
Bible Memory Verse: Isaiah 40:29-31 “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.”

Coach’s Corner: Once in the Olympics... Do you like bicycling? How long has it been since you learned to ride your bike? Did your mom or dad help teach you how to ride? Riding a bicycle is lots of fun. It is also an important sport in the Summer Olympics. But there is one form of cycling that is no longer in the Olympics. It was called tandem cycling. Do you know what a tandem bike is? That’s when there are two riders on the cycle; one sits behind the other, almost as if he is following the one in front of him. From 1906 until 1972, men’s tandem cycling was an Olympic sport. The riders raced against a clock, and the fastest time won. Just like the rear rider on a tandem bike follows the person in front, so our lives are so much easier if we have someone to follow. If only there was someone to take us in the right direction. As God’s children, we do have such a leader. Jesus is always in front of us to show us the way. He does that through his Word, the Bible. We should always be prepared to follow where our Savior leads.

Jesus began his ministry when he was 30 years old. John the Baptist laid the groundwork for that ministry. His sole purpose was to prepare people for the coming of Jesus. In the first chapter of the gospel of John, we see John the Baptist preaching to the people to prepare themselves because the Messiah was here in person. Because of this preaching, John had accumulated a rather large following of disciples. These people often traveled many miles to hear him preach. Repeatedly, John had to tell his followers that there would come a time when they would need to switch their allegiance from him to Jesus Christ.

Our story today takes place on the east side of the Jordan River. This was many miles from Andrew’s home, which was on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. On this day John saw Jesus coming toward him and John spoke the famous words: “Look, the Lamb of God who has come to take away the sin of the world.” Then John reported that he had seen the Holy Spirit come down to Jesus like a dove, which was the sign that this was truly Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah. The very next day, John happened to be with two of his disciples when Jesus passed by again. Once again John declared that Jesus was the Lamb of God. When these two men heard John say this, they decided to find out more about Jesus. Just who was this Lamb that John was talking about? They were curious, so they began to walk behind Jesus. Sensing their presence, Jesus turned and asked them what they wanted. Their first comment was that they wanted to know where Jesus (the rabbi or teacher) was staying; it was likely small talk intended to start a greater conversation. Jesus obliged their question and motioned for them to walk with him. He then took them to his residence. The Bible then says that they were able to spend the day with him.

What a stroke of good fortune. How honored they were! What do you think they talked about? It was like having a movie star, president, or sport’s hero invite you to his or her home to spend the day—just one-on-one. Scripture then tells us the name of the first disciple was Andrew. Although the second disciple is not mentioned, it is usually considered to be John (who never names himself in his gospel account). Just spending a day with the Savior is interesting to consider. But it was what happened next that puts the frosting on the story. Immediately after the conversation with Jesus was over, Andrew ran to find his brother, Simon Peter. His message to Peter was, “We have found the Messiah!” And he brought Peter to meet Jesus. Thus Andrew became a follower of Jesus and later an apostle.

It must have been difficult for Andrew to change his allegiance from John the Baptist to Jesus. He likely was a close friend of John’s since it was he and the other disciple who were alone with John when they began to follow Jesus. Yet once he spent an afternoon with the Lord, Andrew knew that Jesus was the Son of God, who was truly the Messiah sent to redeem all people. From that day on, Andrew continued to follow Jesus. For several months he stayed with Jesus as his disciple, and eventually Jesus called him to be one of the privileged 12 apostles specifically called to serve Jesus.

Andrew is a wonderful example of what it means to serve and follow the Lord. Had he not followed Jesus that very first day, he may have never had the opportunity again. Andrew knew that Jesus was the Way and the Truth and the Life. We should stress to our children the importance of following the Lord. There are many voices calling us. There are many people trying to sway us. Satan is always seeking to have us follow him. Be prepared to give students examples of how we can follow Jesus in our lives, our thoughts, and our actions. Like the beautiful old hymn says, “Come follow me, the Savior spake.”

Missions Moment: Today we focused on China and the underground church. We continued working on our prayer bracelet and continued to collect change. We will tally all change on Friday.

Game Fun! Today we had fun doing track and field events in the water!

Big Idea: God’s champions exercise forgiveness!
Bible Memory Verse: Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Coach’s Corner: Once in the Olympics... Have you ever played a game of croquet? It’s a great outdoors game. The game is played on a grassy surface where you set up a pattern of wire goals and wooden posts. The object of the game is to take a mallet and hit a wooden ball through the course. The first player to complete the course is the winner. Although it is a fun game, it doesn’t seem to be much of an Olympic sport for rough-and-tumble athletes. In 1900 the Olympics were played in Paris, France. That was the only year that croquet was considered an Olympic sport. France won all the croquet events, which is not surprising since only the French competitors took part. The spectators didn’t like it either. There was only one fan who watched the competition. Since then it has never again been in the Olympics.

Sometimes our busy lives resemble a croquet field. First we have to go left and then to the right. Sometimes we have to do things over and over until we finally reach our goal. That’s why God gives us his Word in the Bible. There we can find the right path to take until we gain our victory in heaven. Today we learned about Joseph and his reunion with his brothers. If you want to learn his back story, check out Genesis 37-40. Needless to say, Joseph had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. He was beaten, sold into slavery, and wrongly accused. Yet he remained faithful, and God blessed him.

Application: It is hard to find a clearer example of true forgiveness in all of Scripture. Joseph was wronged so many times that it is difficult to imagine he was even alive. Yet God used him in so many important ways. We are taught from when we are young on to stand up and fight against those who wrong us. We see it in little children who fight back, in teens who repay those who wrong them, and in adults who are constantly seeking revenge on the roadways or in the workplace. Revenge is Satan’s answer to getting even with those around us. Yet God’s ways are just the opposite. He teaches us to repay good for evil, to turn the other cheek, to bless and not seek revenge. And we have the greatest example in the person of Jesus Christ, who was led as a sheep to the slaughter, beaten, whipped, and crowned with thorns. Yet he knew that sinful people needed his help. He willingly carried everyone’s sins on his shoulders instead of seeking revenge against all mankind. And so, just as Christ (and Joseph) forgave, so we must do likewise. That is why we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.”

Missions Moment: Today in the Missions/Service rotation, we learned about the Roma (gypsy) population living in Croatia and how they experience discrimination. The children put together and prayed over pencil pouches with a personalized note that will be sent to children in the Roma village where our missionaries, the Warners, are serving.

Each day we have learned a special fun fact about the country focus:

• India. Has more people than any other country, but only 2% are Christian. Our ministry partners there are praying for that to be increased ten-fold.
• Greece. Population is 99% Christian, but also has many refugees coming through; Paul visited and wrote letters to churches in several towns in Greece, so much of the New Testament was written in the Greek language (including the letters to the Corinthians, where the Bible memory verses come from!)
• Croatia. An area along the coastline is called Dalmatia, which is where Dalmatian dogs come from!

Games Fun: Today the kids played a series of games for track and field. Ask them how far they slid!

Big Idea: God’s champions lift the weight of others!
Bible Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 9:26-27. “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

Coach’s Corner: Have you ever run an obstacle race? They can be lots of fun. A good obstacle race might include tubes to crawl through, beams to balance on, netting to crawl under, and lots of markers to run around. Did you know that once in the Olympics there was an obstacle race for swimmers? It was only in the 1900 Olympics. The athletes had to climb over a pool, scramble over a row of boats, and then dive into the water and swim under another row of boats. The winner was Frederick Lane of Australia. Instead of a gold medal, he was awarded a 50-pound bronze statue of a horse. We often face obstacles in our lives. Problems with health, friends, and family, and even with ourselves often get us down. But God always promises to help us through all the obstacles.

Today we learned the story of Naaman, who was general commander of the armies for the king of Aram. He was well respected and very wealthy and had lots of servants. But Naaman had a serious problem: He had leprosy. In Naaman‘s house there lived a young servant girl who was taken from her home in Israel. Although she was no longer with her family, she always remembered what she was taught about the Lord. One day the servant girl boldly came forward and told her master that he should visit the prophet Elisha, who lived in Samaria! He could cure him of his leprosy.

So why does she matter? What if the parents of that servant girl had never taught her the love and power of the Lord? What if that servant girl had dismissed her former teaching and grabbed onto the heathen ways of Naaman’s people? What if the girl had been too timid to tell her mistress about Elisha? What if the servant girl had forgotten about the prophet Elisha? If any of these things had happened, Naaman would have died a leprous unbeliever.
 
But she DID remember the Lord, she DID give witness to her faith, and Naaman’s body and soul WERE both healed of sickness and sin. The same questions can be asked of the children. What if you don’t share Jesus with those around you? If you don't, who will? We can learn some powerful lessons from this one unnamed little servant girl. She did Naaman a great service by telling him where to find healing. So, too, we should not be hesitant to offer help to those around us, especially by telling them about our loving God. Truly she was a champion willing to lift the weight of those around her!
 
Mission Moment: Today in missions, we learned that Colombia is named for Christopher Columbus.  Parts of the Middle East are 99% Muslim and closed to those of us with a US passport but are still open to others from Latin America. Don't forget that we will be collecting change all week, and it will be tallied on Friday.
 
Games Fun: God blessed us with another day without storms, and we had fun in the water playing Typhoon! 

Big Idea: God’s champions run with their faith!
Bible Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

Coach’s Corner: The Olympics have many different sports events. In the Summer Games there are events such as running races, weight lifting, swimming and diving, and even horseback riding. Since there are so many sports, some events that were included long ago are no longer part of the Olympics today. One of them is tug-of-war. It was an event in the Olympics over 100 years ago. Tug-of-war was even part of the ancient Olympic Games held in Greece many, many, many years ago. In this sport, there were eight athletes on each team. One team had to pull the other team six feet forward to be the winner. If after five minutes no team had done this, the team that pulled the farthest was declared the winner. As God’s children, we know that when we get in a serious tug-of-war in our lives, God is always pulling on our side. That’s GOOD NEWS!

The Israelites served as slaves for the Egyptian pharaoh for hundreds of years. Their days were filled with hard labor in the hot sun making bricks for lavish Egyptian buildings. But God had plans for His people. God led them out of Egypt across the Red Sea to safety. However, once they crossed the Red Sea, they found themselves in a hot and dry wilderness... not a good place for millions of people.  Got told their leader, Moses, to send some spies into the land of Canaan, the land God was going to give His people.

Moses chose 12 men to represent the 12 tribes of Israel, and gave them instructions to report back with information about the land. He wanted to know how strong the people were and if the land was good for crops. Moses even asked them to bring back samples of some of the food grown in Canaan.  They saw exactly what God had promised: a beautiful land, “flowing with milk and honey!” It was indeed perfect. But 10 of the spies were frightened by the people of the land and turned against their leaders. Not only that, they convinced nearly all of the Israelites to do the same! Caleb proved to be God’s champion by living out, or running with, his faith!

Missions Moment: Today we learned all about India and prayer. We started some crafts and heard about some great missionaries. Every day we will be collecting change to help out a missionary in Columbia and will be collecting it during missions.

Games Fun: Today we had fun with an obstacle course!

For Tomorrow: Remember to wear a bathing suit and towel because (weather willing) games will include water!

Big Idea: God’s champions train other athletes!
Memory Verse: Philippians 3:14 “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
 
COACH’S CORNER
Tumbling is a great way to exercise. Many young people learn how to do tumbling at an early age. That might include cartwheels, somersaults, and other jumps and spins. The 1932 Olympics were the only games in which gymnastics tumbling was a stand-alone event. Today it is part of the floor apparatus gymnastic routines. The 1932 event included a 2-foot-wide and 60-foot-long mat on which all the flips and twists were performed. The only Olympic champion in this event was Rowland “Flip” Wolfe of the United States. His special move was a backflip with a double twist. This helped 17-year-old Rowland become the youngest medal winner up to that time.

Did you know the Olympics were mentioned in the Bible? The apostle Paul once said that we should run in such a way as to win the prize. But he wasn’t talking about a gold medal. The prize we should all want to win is a home in heaven, where we will be with Jesus forever.

The Bible says we should “set an example for believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.” This is a very interesting passage from the Bible. It’s interesting because it speaks about the stories we have studied. You recall the servant girl who set an example in speech. Caleb walked with God and was a real champion his entire life. Joseph showed us how to be a champion by showing great love and forgiveness for his brothers, even after they had sold him to strangers in a foreign country. We saw the faith of Andrew as he followed Jesus from his life of a fisherman to become a follower of Jesus. Today we looked at a young man who became a champion teacher.

The evangelist Paul is credited with taking three major missionary journeys and a fourth journey to Rome. In Acts chapter 13, Paul embarked on his first missionary journey, accompanied by Barnabas and John Mark. However, before long, John Mark deserted the party. This trip took the missionaries throughout Asia Minor. The first journey came to an end in Acts chapter 14. Our story begins in Acts 15:36, where Paul was about to embark on his second journey.
 
Lystra was about 18 miles southwest of Iconium, a fairly recently inhabited town in a pleasant valley. Some authorities feel there were only two or three Jewish families living there and, therefore, there was likely no synagogue in the area. A mother named Eunice, a grandmother named Lois, and young Timothy lived there. Timothy’s father was a Greek man but is not mentioned by name. Perhaps he was a heathen. What we do know, however, is that Eunice and Lois were God-fearing people who worked hard at training young Timothy in the ways of the Lord. When Paul was introduced to Timothy, he must have been very impressed. Although likely just a teen, Timothy exhibited characteristics that Paul recognized as being very helpful in his missionary journeys. So, Paul asked Timothy if he would be willing to accompany him. This was not an easy decision to make. For Lois and Eunice, they would be sending off the young man they loved. For Timothy, it meant leaving behind his friends and family and traveling to unknown destinations that could be filled with danger. Yet Timothy decided that his place was to use his talents to serve the Lord. He packed his bags and left with Paul. Eventually we read that Timothy became a great missionary himself. He was given the opportunity time and again to preach the good news of salvation to those who were living in darkness.
 
APPLICATION
We may never be asked to leave our family and friends to travel to far-off countries as God’s missionaries. But that doesn’t mean we should not tell others about his love for us. Timothy serves as a wonderful example of how a young person can use his or her talents to tell others about the Savior. We can do this in so many ways: Just by inviting someone to church, by helping teach Sunday school, by assisting with neighborhood canvasses, or by casual conversation with our friends and relatives. We should all strive to be like Timothy. This is an ideal end to the stories from the past week. We can now take what we have learned and share it with everyone we meet.
 
MISSIONS MOMENT
Over the week we have been bringing in change to send a missionary from South America to the Middle East. We raised $412.02 towards that goal. WOW! The kids should all be proud of themselves for giving sacrificially this week.
 
GAME FUN
We had fun on waterslides today.
 
What a great week! Thank you for sharing your kids with us this week, and feel free to join us on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. for our Sunday Baptism service!

Big Idea: God’s champions listen to the Coach!
Memory Verse: Isaiah 40:31  “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.”

Coach's Corner: Once in the Olympics... Do you like bicycling? How long has it been since you learned to ride your bike? Did your mom or dad help teach you how to ride? Riding a bicycle is lots of fun. It is also an important sport in the Summer Olympics. But there is one form of cycling that is no longer in the Olympics. It was called tandem cycling. Do you know what a tandem bike is? That’s when there are two riders on the cycle; one sits behind the other, almost as if he is following the one in front of him. From 1906 until 1972, men’s tandem cycling was an Olympic sport. The riders raced against a clock, and the fastest time won.

Just like the rear rider on a tandem bike follows the person in front, so our lives are so much easier if we have someone to follow. If only there was someone to take us in the right direction. As God’s children, we do have such a leader. Jesus is always in front of us to show us the way. He does that through his Word, the Bible. We should always be prepared to follow where our Savior leads.

Jesus began his ministry when he was 30 years old. John the Baptist laid the groundwork for that ministry. His sole purpose was to prepare people for the coming of Jesus. Already in the first chapter of the gospel of John, we see John the Baptist preaching to the people to prepare themselves because the Messiah was here in person. Because of this preaching, John had accumulated a rather large following of disciples. These people often traveled many miles to hear John preach. Repeatedly, John had to tell his followers that there would come a time when they would need to switch their allegiance from him to Jesus Christ. Our story takes place on the east side of the Jordan River. Scripture then tells us the name of the first disciple was Andrew. Although the second disciple is not mentioned, it is usually considered to be John (who never names himself in his gospel). Just spending a day with the Savior is interesting to consider. But it was what happened next that puts the frosting on the story. Immediately after the conversation with Jesus was over, Andrew ran to find his brother, Simon Peter. His message to Peter was, “We have found the Messiah!” And he brought Peter to meet Jesus. Thus Andrew became a follower of Jesus and later an apostle.

It must have been difficult for Andrew to change his allegiance from John the Baptist to Jesus. He likely was a close friend of John’s, since it was he and the other disciple who were alone with John when they began to follow Jesus. Yet once he spent an afternoon with the Lord, Andrew knew that Jesus was the Son of God, who was truly the Messiah sent to redeem all people. From that day on, Andrew continued to follow Jesus. For several months he stayed with Jesus as his disciple, and eventually Jesus called him to be one of the privileged 12 apostles, specifically called to serve Jesus. Andrew is a wonderful example of what it means to serve and follow the Lord. Had he not followed Jesus that very first day, he may have never had the opportunity again. Andrew knew that Jesus was the Way and the Truth and the Life. We should stress to our children the importance of following the Lord. There are many voices calling us. There are many people trying to sway us. Satan is always seeking to have us follow him. Be prepared to give students examples of how we can follow Jesus in our lives, our thoughts, and our actions. Like the beautiful old hymn says, “Come follow me, the Savior spake.”

Mission Moment: Today we focused on China and the underground church. We continued our prayer bracelet and continued to collect change. We will tally all change on Friday.

Game Fun! Today we had fun doing track and field events in the water!

Big Idea: God’s champions exercise forgiveness!
Memory Verse: Hebrews 12:1. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Coach’s Corner: Once in the Olympics... Have you ever played a game of croquet? It’s a great outdoor game. The game is played on a grassy surface where you set up a pattern of wire goals and wooden posts. The object of the game is to take a mallet and hit a wooden ball through the course. The first player to complete the course is the winner. Although it is a fun game, it doesn’t seem to be much of an Olympic sport for rough-and-tumble athletes. In 1900 the Olympics were played in Paris, France. That was the only year that croquet was considered an Olympic sport. France won all the croquet events, which is not surprising since only the French competitors took part. The spectators didn’t like it either. There was only one fan who watched the competition. Since then it has never again been in the Olympics. Sometimes our busy lives resemble a croquet field. First we have to go left and then to the right. Sometimes we have to do things over and over until we finally reach our goal. That’s why God gives us his Word in the Bible. There we can find the right path to take until we gain our victory in heaven.

Today we learned about Joseph and his reunion with his brothers. If you want to learn his back story, check out Genesis 37-40. Needless to say, Joseph had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. He had been beaten, sold into slavery, and was wrongly accused. Yet he remained faithful, and God blessed him.

Application: It is hard to find a clearer example of true forgiveness in all of Scripture. Joseph was wronged so many times that it is difficult to imagine he was even alive. Yet God used him in so many important ways. We are taught from when we're little to stand up and fight against those who wrong us. We see it in little children who fight back, in teens who repay those who wrong them, and in adults who are constantly seeking revenge on the roadways or in the workplace. Revenge is Satan’s answer to getting even with those around us. Yet God’s ways are just the opposite. He teaches us to repay good for evil, to turn the other cheek, to bless and not seek revenge. And we have the greatest example in the person of Jesus Christ, who was led as a sheep to the slaughter, beaten, whipped, and crowned with thorns. Yet he knew that sinful people needed his help. He willingly carried everyone’s sins on his shoulders instead of seeking revenge against all mankind. And so, just as Christ (and Joseph) forgave, so we must do likewise. That is why we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.”

Mission Moment: Today in the Missions/Service rotation, we learned about the Roma (gypsy) population living in Croatia, and how they experience discrimination. The children put together and prayed over pencil pouches with a personalized note that will be sent to a child in the Roma village where our missionaries, the Warners, are serving.

Each day we have learned a special fun fact about the country focus:

• India. Has more people than any other country, but only 2% are Christian. Our ministry partners there are praying for that to be increased ten-fold.
• Greece. Population is 99% Christian, but also has many refugees coming through; Paul visited and wrote letters to churches in several towns in Greece, so much of the NT is in the Greek language (including the letters to the Corinthians, where the Bible memory verses come from!)
• Croatia. An area along the coastline is called Dalmatia, and is where Dalmatian dogs come from! 

Games Fun: Today the kids played a series of games for track and field. Ask them how far they slid!

For tomorrow: Bring towel and swimsuit.
Menu: Hamburgers.

Big Idea: God’s champions lift the weight of others!
Bible Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 9:25 “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

Coach’s Corner: Have you ever run an obstacle race? They can be lots of fun. A good obstacle race might include tubes to crawl through, beams to balance on, netting to crawl under, and lots of markers to run around.

Did you know that once in the Olympics there was an obstacle race for swimmers? It was only the 1900 Olympics. The athletes had to climb over a pool, scramble over a row of boats, and then dive into the water and swim under another row of boats. The winner was Frederick Lane of Australia. Instead of a gold medal, he was awarded a 50–pound bronze statue of a horse.

We often face obstacles in our lives. Problems with health, friends, and family, and even ourselves often get us down. But God always promises to help us through all the obstacles.
 
Today we learned the story of Naaman, who was general commander of the armies for the king of Aram. He was well respected and very wealthy and had lots of servants. But Naaman had a serious problem: he had leprosy. In Naaman‘s house there lived a young servant girl who was taken from her home in Israel. Although she was no longer with her family, she always remembered what she was taught about the Lord. One day the servant girl boldly came forward and told her master that he should visit the prophet Elisha, who lived in Samaria! He could cure him of his leprosy.
 
So why does she matter? What if the parents of that servant girl had never taught her the love and power of the Lord? What if that servant girl had dismissed her former teaching and grabbed onto the heathen ways of Naaman’s people? What if the girl had been too timid to tell her mistress about Elisha? What if the servant girl had forgotten about the prophet Elisha? If any of these things had happened, Naaman would have died a leprous unbeliever.
 
But she DID remember the Lord, she DID give witness to her faith, and Naaman’s body and soul WERE both healed of sickness and sin. The same questions can be asked of the children. What if you don’t share Jesus with those around you? If you don't, who will? We can learn some powerful lessons from this one unnamed, little servant girl. She did Naaman a great service by telling him where to find healing. So, too, we should not be hesitant to offer help to those around us, especially by telling them about our loving God. Truly she was a champion willing to lift the weight of those around her!
 
Mission Moment: Today in missions, we learned about the refugees in Greece. We continued making our crafts and got to taste some great snacks! Don't forget that we will be collecting change all week, and it will be tallied on Friday.
 
Games Fun: We had fun in the water playing Typhoon!

Big Idea: God’s champions run with their faith!
Bible Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 9:24 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”

Coach’s Corner: The Olympics have many different sports events. In the Summer Games there are events such as running races, weight lifting, swimming and diving, and even horseback riding. Since there are so many sports, some events that were included long ago are no longer part of the Olympics today. One of them is tug-of-war. It was an event in the Olympics over 100 years ago. Tug-of-war was even part of the ancient Olympic Games held in Greece many, many, many years ago. In this sport, there were eight athletes on each team. One team had to pull the other team six feet forward to be the winner. If after five minutes no team had done this, the team that pulled the farthest was declared the winner.

As God’s children, we are happy knowing that when we get in a serious tug-of-war in our lives, God is always pulling on our side.

Today we learned about Caleb and how his faith and that of his friend Joshua set them apart from the other spies sent out to search the land. Twelve spies were sent out and they saw exactly what God had promised: a beautiful land, “flowing with milk and honey!” It was indeed perfect. But ten of the spies were frightened by the people of the land and turned against their leaders. Not only that, but convinced pretty much of the Israelites to do the same! Caleb proved to be God’s champion by living out or running with his faith!

Missions: Ask your kids what they learned about India today and how they are becoming prayer ChAMPS by praying for:
Church
Around the world
Missionaries
People who don’t know Jesus
Send me

Service Project: Our week-long service project is to raise funds to send a missionary from Colombia, South America, to serve in the Middle East. They are bringing home boxes to collect money they earn. Encourage them to earn money by doing chores and odd jobs for your family, friends, and neighbors, as you feel comfortable. We want the children to see how they can be used by God even at their young ages. Money may be brought in any day, and will be counted up on Friday. They may keep their boxes at home, though. Cabins will be competing to see who raises the most!

Games Fun: Today we had fun with an obstacle course!
For tomorrow: Bring bathing suit and towel.

Menu:  hot dog

Which scripture has been your greatest comfort?

Excerpts from the email sent out by the Elders on March 13th re: cancellation of GCC activities.

Dear GCC family,

As concerns increase this week surrounding the coronavirus, the elders of GCC are committed to doing whatever we can to provide a safe environment for the GCC family...

...In light of the recommendations of our governing officials toward “an abundance of caution,” we have made the decision to cancel all church-related activities until further notice, including our Sunday classes and Worship Service, as well as all Life Groups, Fight Night, and Parents Night Out...

~Pastor John H and the Elders of Grace Community Church 

For more details, CLICK HERE.

The next Preschool Playdate will be on Friday, April 3rd from 9am-11:30am.  This is a time for preschool parents to come together to fellowship over playtime.  We meet at the church.

The March Seasoned Saints lunch has been cancelled/  The next lunch will be on Sunday, May 31st for those 50+.  

Thank you for your understanding.

Remember that time changes this weekend.  Change your manual alarms so you won't be late!!!

Celebrate Holy Week and Easter Sunday with Grace! We have many opportunities to prepare your heart for this important time of year, including:

• Daily Devotional for the week, put together by the Missions Council
• Seder Meal, led by Gary Morris - Sunday, Apr 5 (5pm)
• Good Friday Service – Apr 10 (7pm)
• Easter Sunday Service! – Apr 12 (10:30a)

Registration for the Seder Meal begins soon!